City starts rolling out new recycling bins

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- Hundreds of brand new, big, blue recycling carts hit the streets of Wilmington today. They are a part of the city's voluntary program to get residents to recycle more and save money.

The 19,000 wheeled recycling carts arrived at the city's Operations Center to be assembled.

The city delivered the first of them to customers that chose to participate.

"This year we're estimating 6,800 tons of recycling as opposed to trash that would have normally gone into the landfill, so environmentally, it's definitely the best thing to do," Solid Waste Superintendent Dave Bundick said.

The bi-weekly recycling pick-up will start the beginning of January. All 19,000 carts will be out to customers by December 1.

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It's about time. We generate more trash than we realize and recycling and incineration are very good alternatives to land filling. The state where I came from started off with voluntary recycling and then started incinerating trash as well. The combination of the two has not only reduced the amount going to the landfill but has allowed them to start removing trash from the landfill for sorting and burning.

The technology is somewhat touchy and they've had some issues, but overall its been a wildly successful program, and yes costly as well.

If certain throw-aways are recycled, that means that smeone is making a profit from the free materials that the public puts into these bins. Should those who participate not get something in return for their troubles sorting plastic, glass and such? Maybe a monthly check or a percentage off their property tax? They shouldn't be expected to do it for free when someone down the line is making money.

In my opinion, the cost to homes for trash pick up should be similar to the water bill - the more you throw away, the more you pay. That is the only way some lazy people will stop throwing away items that could be recycled. We have one bag of true garbage on average per week because we recycle anything we can, but we pay the same amount as those whose trash cans are overflowing every week. It is not fair!